1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to electrified mortise locks and more particularly to an electrified mortise lock having a solenoid cradle for enabling the same solenoid to be fixed into the housings of a multiplicity of styles of mortise locks.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A mortise lock is a lock fitting into a mortise of a door or the like so that the lock is covered on both sides by door material. Electrified mortise locks are well known for door hardware and usually include a solenoid or a motor for locking or unlocking a handle. When the handle is locked, a mechanism in the mortise lock drives a latch outward to engage a door strike. When the solenoid or motor unlocks the handle, the handle can be turned in order to retract the latch so that the door can be pushed or pulled open. Typically, the latch can also be retracted with a key override that operates through the mechanism. A standard mortise lock has a width to fit into a one and one quarter inch wide mortise hole in the edge of the door. However, within this standard there are many manufacturers and styles of such locks.
There is a need by manufacturers, installers and users of non-electrified mortise locks to convert non-electrified locks into electrified locks. Unfortunately, to date the schemes for making such conversions have required expensive manufactured articles and machine operations. Moreover, each one of such schemes has been limited to one or only a few manufacturers and styles.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a simple method and an inexpensive solenoid cradle for electrifying mortise door locks where the same method and cradle can be used for mortise locks of many manufacturers and styles.
Briefly, in a preferred embodiment, the present invention is an electrified mortise lock kit including a solenoid cradle and a solenoid. In another preferred embodiment, the present invention is an electrified mortise lock including the solenoid cradle and the solenoid of the kit; and a mechanism, a handle, a latch, and a housing. The solenoid cradle includes a frame for embracing the solenoid and cradle pins for fixing the frame, and thereby fixing the solenoid, in the housing. The solenoid includes an armature for engaging the solenoid to the mechanism for alternatively unlocking or locking the handle. The solenoid is end-for-end reversible without removing the cradle from the housing for providing fail secure or fail non-secure operation. The same solenoid and cradle is used with the mechanisms, latches and housings for many manufacturers and styles. Conversion of a non-electrified mortise lock to an electrified mortise lock requires removing parts of the mechanism not needed for electrified operation and using a simple hand drill for drilling cradle mounting holes in the housing.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will no doubt become obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art after having read the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments which are illustrated in the various figures.